Thinking of keeping chickens. . .

[Lollypopzmummy]

I don't think I've entirely convinced DH but still the thought has been running through my mind a bit of late so thought I'd ask a few questions so I'm armed!

Where's the best places to buy hens for laying?
What type of feed would you suggest?
Best types of coops etc?
Average cost of keep per month?
Expected laying abilities?
What to do if you then want to breed? (I.e: Do you then buy a cock or can you take one of your hen's to a breeder and use theirs?)
Is there anything else that I've left out that I'd need? (do you keep them in a different type of coop during the winter etc? Would you insulate the coop during the winter?)

Thanks in advance

Many small animals can be left alone for, say, 24 hours if you are going away. Is this true of chickens, or do they need to be shut into their coop every evening and then let out in the morning? (Im assuming a large fenced run, with the coop inside it.)

Threadworm: Personally, if this occasion were to arrise if/when we get our's we'd have to arrange for someone to let them out/shut them back in at night due to not being able to leave the coop open at night (foxes/cats etc) and I don't think I'd like to leave them shut in all day (unless we win the lottery or something and can afford a barn sized coop! Aw wouldn't that be lovely for them though?!)

I've finally got Dh to maybe think about agreeing to having chickens! He says it could be a distinct possibility for next year! (In the hope that we'll have a bit more money, the garden sorted and we might have the coop built by then too!) Still that I have to wait so long for little chicky chicks).

Thanks lolly. I wouldn't leave the in all day but was hoping that I could leave the coop open for them. Looks like not good to do that tho.

It's all cloud cuckoo land (cloud chicken land) for me though. We probably won't get hens for now.

we have got a henhouse with a run attached deliberately so we can go away for the weekend. we bought one a size larger than we 'need' so they have room to stretch

Just sen this, ska. Thanks. That is really helpful. I'm fine with finding helpers when we go away for a week or two, but I didn't want to have to bother neighbours when we just went away overnight. We would have a largish securely fenced enclosure within the garden, possibly a 'roofed' run. And the garden itself is securely fenced: if dog can't get out, I'm thinking fox can't get in?

they are very determined tho but i'd think that is a good idea